Dear members,

Please find below an overview of activities of European Bioplastics throughout April 2020.

Regulatory Affairs (WG REGA)

Due to the on-going COVID-19 crisis, on 22 April, the European Bioplastics’ Working Group Regulatory Affairs (WG REGA) conducted another monthly meeting online. In response to a request by WG REGA to create a common sense on biodegradability claims (18 March), a representative from the Product Group (PG) Biodegradables introduced a first outline of a EUBP document and asked the group for feedback. WG REGA clarified several issues in the planned EUBP document (two pager). This included the central message that claims of biodegradability always need to specify the environment and the timeframe. It also included the incorporation of standards/guidelines as well as examples and disposal recommendations. 

WG REGA members also received a quick update on recent political developments at EU level: the on-going initiatives related to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), the CEN-standardization request for home-compostable plastic carrier bags, as well as several executive summaries on EUNOMIA studies (listed in paragraph below). Concerning the update on the separate collection of waste, it became clear that the European Commission (EC) already must have a “prefabricated” rough concept for the guidelines on harmonized separate waste collection. Due to COVID-19, the EC will kick-start a new process and widen the stakeholder contribution. Furthermore, COVID-19 related delays include the area of the Green Deal, especially the EC Work Programme, which will possibly be amended together with the MFF budget (expected on 29 April). It is still uncertain, which “schools of thought” will prevail. On the one hand, the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) in the European Parliament (EP) and several other MEPs and industries, e.g. the automotive segment, as well as some Member States (MS) support a “fast recovery with a less ambitious implementation of the Green Deal”. On the other hand, major parts of the EP and 17 MS support a “Green Deal as the centre of recovery actions”. REGA members agreed that the further implementation of the Green Deal is of crucial significance and that close monitoring will be required. 

Regarding the upcoming EU Sustainable Product Policy, WG REGA sees a risk on EUNOMIA’s known narrative pattern, as different plastic materials are mixed in this study on eco-design. It was generally agreed that further developments would be monitored. During the meeting, the members also discussed the JRC study on alternative feedstock. The WG was informed that the second open consultation period has been postponed. As there is no new information available neither from JRC, nor EC, it will be further monitored, and WG members are asked to share any available information with the group. 

During the meeting, reactions to COVID-19 by other polymer industry stakeholders were also discussed. This included actions, which referred to the hygienic advantages of single-use plastics in order to question the implementation of the Single-use Plastics Directive (SUPD). The group agreed that possible responses by EUBP would need to be considered with utmost caution. EC Vice President Timmermans already expressed strong criticism towards alleged attempts by several industries to benefit from the COVID 19 crisis. In this regard, an open letter and press release by European Plastics Converters had caused greater irritation in the EC. It was also pointed out that the Farm to Fork strategy should be monitored further. 

During the meeting, the REGA group also discussed EUBP’s engagement concerning the further SUPD process, in particular the SUPD Guidance. The discussion was introduced against the background of an upcoming waste expert group meeting on 24 April. Here the agency accompanying the process (Ramboll) would present the guidelines to the MS. After a general discussion, it was decided that the EUBP’s SUPD Recommendation Paper should only be sent out to those waste expert group members with a good direct contact to EUBP and/or its members. The group also agreed to adapt the recommendation paper by updating the references and by including a text module on (PEF-)recyclability and compostable coatings. 

The WG members received a briefing on the recently published EUNOMIA studies. It was discussed whether it would be important to have a detailed look at the studies, not only from a scientific but also from a political point of view. The idea was brought up to compile a list of inconsistencies, which could afterwards be externally reviewed. As mobilizing independent external experts was seen as to be too time consuming, it was agreed to set up an Ad-Hoc Working Group responsible for identifying these inconsistencies. WG members were asked to provide input that EUBP will collect and collate. 

For detailed information on the work of the WG Regulatory Affairs, please contact Hasso von Pogrell (pogrell@european-bioplastics.org). The next online meeting will take place on 14 May 2020. 

Product Groups

Product Group Bio-based 

No relevant activities took place in April 2020. 

For more information regarding bio-based plastics including sustainability issues and the work of the PG and TFs, please contact Katharina Hinse (hinse@european-bioplastics.org). 

Product Group Biodegradables 

The current deliverable of PG Biodegradables - a short paper on claims on biodegradability and compostability – was brought to WG REGA for discussion at the WG REGA meeting on 22 April 2020 (for more details see above). 

For more information regarding PG Biodegradables and the TF Marine, please contact Katharina Hinse (hinse@european-bioplastics.org). 

Working Group Standardisation 

On 29 April, European Bioplastics discussed with the chair of WG Standardisation their participation in the upcoming ECHA Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) WebEx meeting in June. During the last meeting in March 2020, RAC showed a very restrictive position towards the derogation of biodegradable microplastics from the ECHA restriction proposal on intentionally added microplastics. EUBP will prepare a paper to comment on these proposals. 

For more information on standards for bioplastics, current standardisation processes, and certification of bioplastics, please contact Katharina Hinse (hinse@european-bioplastics.org). 

Communications

Please find at the following link a selection of relevant media clippings from April 2020 (online).  

On 22 April, EUBP Comms attended the online REGA meeting. The intention of the joint meeting was to further deepen the understanding of the relevant political processes on the EU level and strengthen the link between EUBP communications and regulatory affairs. 

EUBP Comms has started the editorial process for the association’s annual report 2019. This includes the coordination of the input provided by the different EUBP staff members and the editing. The report will be available for the General Assembly taking place on 17/18 June 2020.  

Throughout April, together with our service provider Meltwater, EUBP was able to solve the last remaining technical challenges and finalized the establishment of a new program to improve the management of our monitoring. This includes a better handling of our monthly and annual press clipping.  

EUBP Comms also updated the following documents:  

• Fact Sheet: What are bioplastics? 
  

During April, EUBP Comms coordinated the responses to several requests by journalists regarding detailed information on different aspects of bioplastics. This also included interview requests.  

For more information or questions concerning the communications activities of EUBP, please contact Oliver Buchholz (buchholz@european-bioplastics.org). 

Seedling Logo

No relevant activities took place in April 2020. 

For more information on the Seedling Logo or the Certification Scheme, please contact Katharina Hinse (hinse@european-bioplastics.org). 

Events

Planning the 15th European Bioplastics Conference, EUBP has sent out a Call for Paper for potential speakers to sign up. We have promoted the call through our Social Media channels (Twitter/LinkedIn) and already received first responses. A reminder will be sent out as soon as the current pandemic crisis situation has settled down a little bit in Europe. EUBP was also able to sign the first media cooperation to promote the EUBP annual conference. 

At the end of April, EUBP has taken part in the annual BBI-Info Day, which gathered again more than 1,300 attendees to exchange project ideas to develop project proposals for funding. It consisted of two virtual meetings (22/23 of April). 

For more information regarding the Conference 2020 as well as becoming a speaker, please contact Hannah Heimann (conference@european-bioplastics.org). 

Projects

PolyBioSkin (Project month: 35 of 38)  

https://www.polybioskin.eu/ (BBI-JU) 

As response to COVID-19-induced postponements in some of PolyBioSkin’s devilerables, such as final skin-testings, the consortium decided to go for a 2 months amendment. This leaves the partners enough time to fulfil all tests and report-delivering the way it was set up in the beginning. This will also leave an opportunity to hold a final workshop by July, which was initially planned in May. Depending on the further developments related to travelling restrictions, the last workshop could be held partly physically and partly virtually. Furthermore, preparations for the final report on standard and legislative aspects are progressing. 

BIOnTop (Project month: 11 of 48) 

https://biontop.eu/ (BBI-JU) 

Due to COVID-19, in BIOnTop, the non-technical work packages have still been on partial stand-by. Concerning dissemination work, preparations for a draft plan for the exploitation and dissemination of the results to be finalised in May have started. 

Partnering with other HORIZON 2020 projects and proposal status 

Besides being part of two proposal consortia (Upcycling Bio Plastics of Food and Drinks Packaging [CE-BIOTEC-09-2020] and Open Innovation Test Beds for Nano-enabled Bio-based Materials [DT-NMBP-04-2020]) for final submission on 14 May, EUBP teamed up with possible new partners to develop further proposals in the recent BBI-JU programme (Biobased Industries Joint-Undertaking) as part of HORIZON2020-framework. Therefore, the participation on the virtual BBI-Info Day on 22 and 23 April gave great opportunities to do so. Building new consortia and developing innovative proposals is now the key point during the remaining time until proposal submission in September. Furthermore, the work on another proposal for a BBI submission continued (Demonstrate superior bio-based packaging solutions with minimal environmental damage [BBI2020.SO3.D4]). 

European Bioplastics offers a service that will connect members with organisations looking to set up project consortia and submitting research proposals. The Project Partnering Request works much like the Business Requests that you receive regularly through European Bioplastics in increasing numbers. Anyone looking for project partners from among our members can fill in and submit it to European Bioplastics. We then distribute it to all members who have signed up for the service. 

NB: To receive project enquiries, you need to contact us to be included on the distribution list for legal data protection reasons. 

For more information or requests concerning EUBP’s project involvements, please contact Christian Schulz (schulz@european-bioplastics.org). 

Planned activities

WG Regulatory Affairs: 

• Monitoring of further developments regarding upcoming studies on 
  - EPR fees,  
  - Biodegradable plastics in a circular economy
  - Biodegradable plastics in agriculture 
  - Biodegradable plastics in the environment.  

• Recommendations SUPD Guidance: Outreach to waste experts  

Communications: 

• Further preparation of the EUBP annual report 2019. 
• Preparation of a video presentation for the Biopolymer Days (17/18 June 2020).  

WG Standardisation: 

• Apply for attendance at the RAC-53 meeting. 
• Prepare position paper of EUBP for that meeting. 

PG Bio-based: 

• Publication of fact sheets on mechanical and chemical recycling. 
• Preparation of papers on feedstock types. 

PG Biodegradables: 

• Compilation of facts on biodegradability of natural polymers to point out the exaggerated testing requirements of the ECHA proposal on microplastics (in coordination with WG Standardisation). 

• Draft paper on guidelines when claiming biodegradability or compostability for products or materials. 

If you have any suggestions regarding the content and/or format of our monthly report, please do not hesitate to share them with us.  

This email is sent to all the contacts of our member companies that we have registered in our database. If you would like to share it with further colleagues, kindly send us an email to members@european-bioplastics.org. 

Kind regards,
Hasso v. Pogrell